The Korean National Police Agency has replaced half of the country's police station chiefs and barred officers from holding key command, investigation and audit posts in their home regions.
The agency carried out its second-half reassignment of senior superintendents on the 13th, covering 385 posts. Among them, 118 of the 242 police station chief positions, or 49%, were filled by new officers.
The agency said the changes were intended to improve the fairness of police work and restore public trust. Police came under criticism this year over ties to local communities following misconduct exposed in cases including the Jang Yun-gi case.
The agency applied across the board a rule known as hyangpije, which bars officers from serving in their home regions, to the posts of inspection, audit and human rights officer at metropolitan and provincial police agencies, key investigation division chief posts and police station chief positions. The restriction was applied at the metropolitan and provincial level for inspection and audit officers and key investigation posts, and at either the metropolitan and provincial level or the personnel district level within a province for station chiefs.
The agency also deployed specialists to strengthen field investigation capabilities and the protection of women, children and crime victims. Assignments to investigation units, inspection and audit officer posts, and the positions of chief of the women and juveniles division and chief of the women's safety division gave priority to professional competence.
The latest round for senior superintendents concluded the agency's second-half personnel changes for the year.
"We plan to continue innovating police work to embed the changed criminal justice system in the field and to protect victims more thoroughly," the agency said.